WIESBADEN, Germany – A local national fire fighter was honored for 38 years of service in an intimate retirement ceremony at the U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Directorate of Emergency Services fire house on Clay Kaserne, Nov. 22. In the Army, selfless service can be defined, in part, as doing your duty loyally without thought of recognition or gain. For USAG Wiesbaden firefighter and crew chief Captain Thomas Graef, volunteerism and selfless service began as a boyhood dream that came to fruition over nearly four decades as a professional and 50 years as a volunteer firefighter. Rauenthal beginnings Public service is often referred to as a calling, however 38 years of public service is more than just a calling. “Firefighting comes from the bottom of your heart,” explained Graef’s supervisor, USAG Wiesbaden Fire Department Chief Daniel Corzelius. For Graef, selfless service and fighting fires was more than a passion – it was tradition. Graef’s journey to becoming a professional firefighter began in 1972 when he joined the local volunteer fire department managed and led by his grandfather, in his hometown of Rauenthal, Germany. However, achieving his boyhood dream of working in a German firehouse would be stymied by German regulation. But his drive to be a professional firefighter would find a different path through opportunities with the U.S. Army. Clear path ahead Two regulations stood in the way of Graef fulfilling his dream of becoming a professional firefighter – one he could overcome, the other proved more challenging. Graef knew that according to German regulation, firefighters must have a handyman’s trade. He knew going back to school and learning a trade was his first step, therefore he decided to become an electrician and eventually found work repairing helicopters on the Clay Kaserne Airfield. The second regulation would pose more of […]
Click here to visit source. Garrison celebrates local national’s devoted firefighting career